Start of Something New
by Excella Gionne
Summary: Harry is really getting serious about Ginny, and Hermione is getting ready to marry Ron, but when a blissful relationship turns abusive, and new feelings are found for eachother, the series you once knew could go down a completely different path. H/HHR
1. Broken Wedding Bells

Start Of Something New

**Start Of Something New**

_Harry/Hermione OneShot_

_By Mrs.CullenTheVampire_

**Chapter 1: Broken Wedding Bells**

Harry Potter sighed as he stared at the picture of his girlfriend of three years now, Ginny Weasley. He had

his arm wrapped around her and they were smiling brightly. The picture was taken at Christmas last year.

In 3 days, it would be Ginny's birthday, and Harry had the ring all picked out for when he would propose

to her. He was jolted out of his trance when his doorbell rang. He trudged to the door of the house on

Grimmauld Place, formerly the secret meeting spot for the Order of the Phoenix. But it had been 4 long

years since Harry had defeated Voldemort. He gasped when he saw who was at the door.

"Oh Harry!" Hermione threw her arms around his neck and began sobbing into his shirt.

"H-Hermione, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be over at the burrow with Ginny, planning the

wedding?" Just six months ago, Ron had proposed to Hermione, and up until now, Hermione was every

aspect of what one would call a blushing bride.

"Harry I can't believe him!" She shouted through tears.

"Believe who? Hermione what happened?" Harry asked concern staining his voice as he led her through

the hallway and into the den, where he sat her on the couch, and sat down next to her, still keeping his arm

around her shoulders.

"Oh Harry! I can't believe he would say something like that to me!" She sobbed again.

"Hermione, calm down. Tell me what's wrong."

"Well," Hermione sniffed. "Ron and I got into a fight while we were planning the wedding, I was

complaining about how he did nothing to help Ginny and I plan this event in the 2 months we have left!

And he got all defensive about how he never even wanted a big event like this, and I tried to explain to him

that it was important to me, never-mind a tradition in my family to have a big wedding, I mean for

goodness' sake, even Molly was excited about it!" Hermione wiped monster tears from her eyes.

"Ok, and then what happened?" Harry pressed.

"Well, then as the fight continued, Ron began to talk about how controlling I was being and then, and

then," Hermione paused for a moment to sob more.

"Shh, it's okay 'Mione." Harry consoled her.

"And then he told me that if I was going to be such a controlling mudblood, that he didn't want to marry

me!" And with that began a new endless wave of sobs from Hermione.

"He said that?" Harry felt the anger rising in his chest as he processed what Ron had actually said to

Hermione.

"Yes." Hermione said almost inaudibly, her answer overshadowed by her loud cries.

"He told you that? How could he? That must be the most inconsiderate thing he has ever said!" Harry

clenched his fists at the thoughts of what he would do to his best friend of 10 years when he finally got his

hands on him.

"Oh Harry, how could he say something like that to me? I thought he loved me! Instead he calls me

mudblood and says he doesn't even want to marry me anymore!" She sobbed more heavily now.

"Hermione, Its okay, I'm going to make sure he pays for that. In the meantime though, do you have a place

to stay?" Harry looked down at the pitiful sight of his best friend broken to pieces in his arms.

"Well I'm not going to the Burrow, and I'm definitely not going back to our apartment." Hermione

mumbled.

"Why don't you stay here with me?" Harry suggested.

"Oh Harry, I appreciate the offer, but I could never impose on your independence. I know how much you

like to have this place to yourself, I could never impose."

"Hermione, it wouldn't be any kind of problem if it was you. You know you're always welcome to stay

here. Hell, I actually do wish sometimes that there was someone here other than me to add life to these

walls."

"Well, I suppose. But only for a little while. I was considering going to stay with my parents for a bit," But

Harry cut her off.

"There'll be no need for that; you can stay here for as long as you need."

"Well, alright." Hermione sniffed once again. "And I guess the wedding is off for now. I mean what's the

point in getting married to someone who doesn't even love you?" She asked bleakly.

"Well, everything's going to be okay, I'll tell Ginny to bring your stuff over." Harry got up to go to the

fireplace to call Ginny, as Hermione trudged up the stairs, her head in her hands, not sobbing as hard

anymore. Ron had broken Hermione's heart, and he was gonna get it.

"Everything's going to be okay." Ginny comforted Hermione as she sobbed into her shoulder. She had

brought over most of Hermione's things, and now she was working on consoling Hermione while Harry

was down in the kitchen making tea.

"No it's not Ginny. How could he say that to me?" She sniffed.

"Well you should know everybody is very upset with him right now." Ginny stroked Hermione's hair.

"Mum gave him an earful right when you left, and let me say, I don't think she yelled at him like that since

Him, Fred and George once tried to use fireworks in the house in 6th year. They blew the entire third floor,

and the roof off! He was lucky dad could fix it, but man, Ron got it all right." Ginny's story seemed to get

a smile out of Hermione.

"Here you go Hermione." Harry said as he handed Hermione one of the three cups of tea he had just come

through the door with.

"T-Thank you Harry." Hermione stammered; her throat hoarse from crying so much. "I really appreciate

everything you two are doing for me. I don't think anyone could have better friends." She smiled weakly.

"Well we're here for you 'Mione." Ginny kissed Hermione's forehead. "Maybe you should take a nap, and

hopefully you'll feel better." Hermione lay down on the bed and closed her eyes. Harry and Ginny walked

out with tea in hand.

"I honestly can't explain how, how infuriated I am with Ronald right now! How could he! He knows

Hermione is extremely tender on that subject! He's the one who puked slugs trying to protect her from it!"

Ginny shook her head and took a sip of her tea.

"Tell me about it. I mean can you imagine? I didn't know what to think when she showed up like this at my

doorstep, at this time of night! I mean for goodness' sake it's 11 o'clock at night! I nearly apparated over

to the burrow to kill him myself." Harry agreed.

"I just don't understand why he would do something like that, that's all. I mean they're getting married in

less than two months! I don't think I've ever seen Hermione as excited for anything in my entire life!"

Ginny said as they reached the bottom of the stairs, and headed for the den. Once sitting on the couch,

Ginny leaned back and rested her head against Harry's shoulder.

"I just hope nothing like this ever happens to us." Ginny said cautiously.

"I know it won't. You know I would never do anything to hurt you." Harry leaned down and kissed Ginny.

Hermione awoke groggily the next morning to the smell of coffee and bacon. Drowsily, she made her way

downstairs into the kitchen, to see Harry, spatula in hand transfer some pancakes from the griddle to a

plate next to the stove. He looked up when he heard her approaching.

"Well, good morning sleepy head." He gave her a crooked smile.

"G'morning." Hermione mumbled as she plopped herself into one of the chairs at the kitchen table. Harry

set a plate in front of her, two stacked chocolate chip pancakes with a bacon smile, bacon hair, and syrup

eyes and nose. Hermione couldn't help but choke on the coffee she began to sip on when she saw how

ridiculous it looked. "Wow, you can cook?" She looked at Harry incredulously.

"…Yes…" Harry said smirking.

"Oh. Well, good for you." Harry sat down across from her with the same contents on his plate, except not

arranged as ridiculously as hers. "Where's Ginny?" She asked taking a bite of her pancakes. They were

incredible.

"She went back to the burrow. Then she contacted me earlier this morning to tell me she had to make an

emergency trip to Shell Cottage, you know with Fleur being pregnant and all, and with this whole Ron

business, Molly can't go, and it doesn't help much that Bill is out of town on business." Hermione listened

to how complicated things seemed to be getting lately.

"Oh. How long will she be gone?"

"Unfortunately, she'll have to stay there until Fleur delivers in two weeks. Which means I'm going to have

to cancel the plans I had made for us for her birthday; it's in two days." Hermione wasn't even listening.

She was staring at Harry's face. She must've been going crazy, because strangely, he seemed very

handsome in the lighting of the kitchen. Harry had always been handsome, but never this handsome.

"Oh well. At least it'll give me time to spend with you." He smiled. Harry seemed to e doing anything to

get Hermione's attention. He wanted her to notice him. Hermione didn't know this, but Harry genuinely

liked her.

'_Harry would never like me,' _Hermione thought. _'He only sees me like one of the guys. Why do I even car_

_e if he likes me anyway? Oh dear, Hermione get a grip of yourself. He's dating your best friend. HE IS_

_YOUR BEST FRIEND! Well, Ron was my best friend. . . .'_ Hermione struggled with herself.

"U-U-uhm, well, uh, I'd better be getting off." Hermione sputtered, taking her empty plate to the sink to

wash it.

"Oh, y-yeah, definitely." Harry stammered nervously, as he followed her to the sink. After all the dishes

were washed, Hermione went up to her room to change before going to see her parents, and tell them

everything. Harry however, would spend the day alone. Doing nothing.

Harry put his head in his hands. _No. I can't be falling in love with Hermione. How? I mean, in third year, I_

_kind of felt something ,and then in fourth year too, she looked so beautiful in that gown from the Yule_

_Ball… But why now? Why would I fall for her now? Is it because her and Ron were practically…well I _

_hate to say it…over? Before they even began? Hermione also always seemed to connect with me. I don't _

_know. I can't have this problem in the way now! I have Ginny! I was all ready to ask her to marry me, but _

_of course Bill had to go on that business trip, and Ron…I wasn't even going to start with Ron. Ron would _

_pay._

**3 Days Later**

Harry and Hermione were sitting on the couch talking about Quidditch, when all of a sudden; there was a

knock at the door. Over the past 3 days Hermione's crying habits had trickled to a slow stop. She now

laughed more with the time she spent with Harry. Harry and Hermione had both, without the other one

knowing it, fallen in love with each other, and now, since they didn't know it, it only complicated things

further.

"I'll go see who that is." Harry said getting up and heading out of the den. Hermione sat there fumbling

with her fingers, when she began to hear yelling at the front door.

"Alright Harry, where's Hermione, I want to see her!" Hermione recognized Ron's voice.

"Ron, Hermione doesn't want to see you right now." Harry's voice responded.

"Listen mate, you're my best friend, but sometimes you should leave my business to my business. Now I

want to see my fiancée." Ron pushed.

"Ron, what are you doing?! Get out of my house!" Harry yelled. Hermione rushed to the front hall where

she saw Ron struggling with Harry to get into the house.

"There you are!" Ron shouted pushing past Harry, and grabbing Hermione tightly around her arm, his hand

almost reaching all the way around. Hermione winced in pain. "Where've you been? Do you know how

worried I was looking for you!?" Ron yelled, tightening his grip.

"Ron, stop it. Let go of me, you're hurting me Ron." Tears streamed down Hermione's face.

"I don't give a damn if I hurt you or not! What right do you have just walking out on me like that?!" Ron

raised his voice.

Tears continued to escape Hermione's eyes. "Ron please, you're hurting me. Stop."

"NO HERMIONE YOU STOP! YOU STOP WITH YOUR BULLSHIT! YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME

SO WHY DID YOU RUN AWAY JUST TO SPEND TIME WITH MY BEST FRIEND?! AS IF IT'S

NOT BAD ENOUGH, YOU GO AHEAD AND CALL MY SISTER, AND TURN HER AGAINST ME

TOO! THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN'T HEAR WHAT I CALLED YOU, AND NOW YOU TURNED

HER AGAINST ME TOO!" Ron screamed and clutched his hand so tightly around Hermione's arm, she

screamed out in pain.

"Ron please! Please Ron stop this!" She sobbed.

"SHUT UP!" Ron bellowed, and then slapped Hermione hard across the face. She screamed so loud it

pierced Harry's ears.

"Oi! Ron! What the hell are you doing?!" He yelled, pulling Ron off of Hermione. Ron struggled and tried

to hit him, which is when Harry saw Hermione's tear ridden face, rubbing her arm and trying to get feeling

back into it. He closed his eyes and swung a punch at Ron's face. He shrieked.

"BLOODY HELL YOU LITTLE QUIF! YOU BROKE MY NOSE!" Ron screamed, clutching at his nose

which was now streaming with blood. "HERMIONE, WHEN I COME BACK TO GET YOU

TOMORROW, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT! LIKE THE FACT

THAT I AM THE BOSS AND YOU DON'T GIVE ME YOUR BULLSHIT ANYMORE!" Ron screamed

nasally.

"No." Hermione said shivering, she was now rubbing her cheek which you could see a distinct hand print

on, red and throbbing.

"EXCUSE ME?" Ron took a step toward Hermione. Harry, automatically sidestepped one step closer to her

defensively.

"I'm not going with you Ron. I don't want to be with you if you're going to act this way." Hermione said, a

fresh wave of tears beginning again. "I can't love you if you do this to me." She pulled up her sleeve and

gasped as she saw a big black and purple bruise in his hand print, and little droplets of blood peeking out

of it.

"But Hermione, I love you." Ron forced.

"Do you? Honestly Ron, if you loved me like you said you do, you wouldn't do this to me. Please, leave."

Hermione's voice cracked on several words.

"We'll see about that." He said heading for the door still clutching his bleeding nose. "I'll be back

tomorrow, and you're coming with me." He slammed the door shut behind him.

Hermione slid sown onto the floor and began sobbing. Harry sat down next to her.

"Harry why would he do this to me? Why does he keep hurting me like this? Does he do it because he hates

me? What do I do Harry? I've already called off the entire wedding." She sniffled.

"Hermione, you made the right choice. I cannot believe he would do something like this to you. You know

he loves you 'Mione, but sometimes he loses it because he loves you too much."

"I don't love him anymore. I can't love him. After what he did to me, is there really any point in looking at

him anymore?" Hermione sobbed.

"No." Harry said plainly, still seething with anger at his best friend. Just then Ginny strangely enough

arrived through the door, and nearly fell when she saw the scene.

"Oh my goodness! Hermione what happened!" She said looking at Harry with blaming eyes.

"I-I I never want to see Ron again! He never stops! I don't love him anymore! I don't want to see him

again!"


	2. Just Plain Broken

Start Of Something New

**Start Of Something New**

_Harry/Hermione OneShot_

_By Mrs.CullenTheVampire_

**Chapter 2: Just Plain Broken**

"Hermione, please tell me what happened!" Ginny said wrapping her arm around Hermione, and pushing

Harry out of the way. But Hermione's answer was nothing but a burble of incoherent sobs. "Let's go

upstairs." She said carefully pulling Hermione up off the floor, and tugging her along up the stairs. Harry

trudged to the living room and plopped down onto the couch, face in hands.

"How could he do this to her?!" Her muttered angrily. "How could he do this to Hermione? This is worse

than anything he's ever done before!" He thrusted his fist through a pillow beside him, and sent feathers

flying everywhere. He barely noticed.

About a half hour later, Ginny appeared at the bottom of the stairs, eyes glaring, teeth barred, and fists

clenched.

"Ron is being an asshole." She muttered. "Everything he says ends up hurting her. I'm glad she decided to

call off the wedding." She disappeared into the kitchen. Harry, curious for Hermione's condition, ran up

the stairs, and knocked lightly on her door.

"It's open." A barely audible voice murmured.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, poking his head through the door. He looked into the room and saw Hermione

curled up in a ball in the middle of her bed, eyes red, cheeks flushed, and soft whimpers come out of her

mouth.

"Oh Harry, I don't know what to do anymore." Her voice was sore and raspy from crying so much. "I don't

know how to be happy. I keep going through the same thing over and over again."

"Same?" He asked, as he sat down at the edge of the bed.

"It's not the first time he's ever yelled at me like that. It seems like all the feelings we thought we had for

each other were used up in the first couple of years of our relationship."

"Has he ever hit you before?" Harry asked clenching his jaw.

"No. This was the first time. But still, reason enough not to tolerate it. I'm just glad that this happened

before we got married so that I could make the right decision."

"He's coming back tomorrow though."

"Yes, but I won't be going with him."

"Right. But, still,"

"What?" Hermione said curiously, sitting up.

"Nothing. Forget I said anything. I broke his nose pretty bad." He saved himself quickly.

"Oh yes. I forgot all about that. Nice going by the way Harry. Who knew you could swing a punch like

that." He could hear a slight smile in her voice.

"Well, I really can't take too much credit. It was nearly half as good as that punch you gave Malfoy back in

third year. Now that was punch." He heard Hermione crack up as she remembered this story.

"Yes it was." She agreed.

"Did Ginny tell you why she's not at Shell Cottage?" Harry remembered that his girlfriend should be at her

pregnant sister in law's house, helping her out.

"Oh yes, she forgot a few things, so she came back to get them, and she had some spare time, so she

decided to come check up."

"Ah ok." Harry nodded. Mystery solved.

Harry closed the door to Hermione's room, and walked down the hallway when he heard yelling from

downstairs. He ran down, nearly tripping had he not caught the banister, and raced into the living room.

Ron stood in front of Ginny.

"Ron! What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Surprise mate." His nose was pretty much healed. He must've gone to the emergency ward of St. Mungo's.

"Get out." Harry said forcedly.

"Not without Hermione."

"She doesn't want to go with you!" Ginny yelled.

"Shut up Ginny." Ron spat. "Where's Hermione?" Ron's familiar words asked.

"None of your god damned business." Harry said.

"Oh yes it is my business, she's my fiancée!" Ron yelled.

"Oh yeah," Ginny said reaching into her pocket. "She told me to give you this." She handed him Ron's

grandmother's engagement ring, Mrs. Weasley had been saving for Hermione.

"What's this for?" He asked, looking incredulously at the ring.

"What do you think genius?" Ginny said sarcastically. "She said she doesn't want to marry you because she

doesn't love you anymore."

"What do you mean she doesn't love me anymore? What did I do?"

"WHAT DID YOU DO? WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Harry screamed. "YOU HURT HER! THAT'S

WHAT YOU DID! SHE DOESN'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE BECAUSE IT'S APPARENT YOUR

LOFE FOR HER IS GONE TOO! SHE SAID SHE'S EVEN GLAD SHE CALLED OFF THE

WEDDING!"

"Please, the wedding is still on." Ron said deliriously. "Now where is she?"

"What's all this yelling down here?" Hermione called from the stairs.

"Shit." Harry muttered under his breath. Hermione walked carelessly into the room, and froze when she

saw Ron standing in front of the fireplace.

"There you are." He said taking a step towards Hermione.

"Stay away from me." She said.

"But Hermione—" Ron was interrupted after taking another two steps.

"God help you Ronald Weasley, if you take one step closer." Said Hermione.

"Hermione," Ron chuckled. "Why are you acting this way, I barely touched you!"

"Barely touched me?!" She screamed. She pulled her hair out of her face so that Ron could see his

handprint still red on her right cheek. "Is this what you call 'barely touching'?!" She yelled again. "Not to

mention this," She said as she pulled up her sleeves to reveal the 'ring' bruise all around her left arm. "Well,

what do you have to say now?"

"Those - were an accident." Ron muttered.

"ACCIDENT! SO I SUPPOSE THE YELLING WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT TOO! YOU DON'T

UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU DID RONALD! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

"ME?! I'M THE ONE WITH ISSUES?! WHY WERE YOU SO DEFENSIVE ABOUT ME NOT DOING

ANYTHING FOR THE WEDDING! I DID PLENTY!"

"YOU DID NOTHING!"

"OH PLEASE HERMIONE! AGAIN WITH THE ACTING UP! BEING LITTLE MISS DRAMA

QUEEN!"

"Ron, I think you should leave." She said on the verge of tears again.

"Why?"

"Because, you and I are done. We're over. I never want to see you again. We're through. You don't come

to see me again!"

"But Hermione, I-"

"NO! And if you can't comply, then I'll just have to get a restraining order!"

"But-"

"Hermione asked you to leave Ron. And now I am. And this is my house." Harry cut in.

"Fine." Ron said heading for the door. "Have a nice life Hermione."

"Oh, and Ron?" Harry said as Ron opened the door. He turned around. "We're through too. Have fun

trying to find a new best friend Mate." Ron slammed the door shut behind him hard, shaking the whole

house, as Hermione collapsed crying on the couch, Ginny consoling her. Harry trudged up the stairs once

more, to try and get over what he had just done.

The next few days passed slowly. Slowly and sadly. Hermione never came out of her room, and whenever Harry would pass by he would hear the soft sounds of sobbing coming from the other side of the door. He wanted to go in there. He wanted to go in, and hold her in his arms, and tell her that everything was ok. HE wanted to tell her that he loved her, and that is she loved him the same way, then that would be all that mattered, and then he would kiss her to the end of eternity. But of course he couldn't do that.

Reality hit Harry hard, like a ton of bricks when he realized none of that was ever possible. And what about Ginny? Would he propose to her? Was it the right decision to do so, if he still had all these unresolved feelings? He loved Ginny, more than he could explain, but it just seemed he loved Hermione that little bit more.

He decided to brush it off.

About a week after the fight, Hermione decided to come out of her room. Harry was sitting in the living room toggling between The Daily Prophet and The Quibbler. Now that Luna had taken over her father's newspaper, Harry enjoyed reading it. Despite the fact that she was now one of his good friends, Harry felt that Luna included a lot of great thought, understanding, and amazing perception of the things she wrote about. Calling her Loony seemed silly now.

"Harry, can I talk to you?" Hermione's voice came from the doorway of the living room. Harry turned around and his heart jumped. She looked…better. Her hair was brushed, and parted to the side, and perfectly wavy, not frizzy at all. And she was wearing the honey colored top that brought out he eyes so much it made his heart leap.

"Sure Hermione." He said patting the seat on the couch next to him. She walked around the furniture and sat down.

"Harry, there's something I need to tell you. You've been my best friend for about 10 years. And lately, it's like you've been more, which is why I wish it could be more. Just to tell you, I feel like a huge bloke telling you this. I, well I love you Harry. And you probably don't feel the same way, but it's just that I feel like I should tell you this because if I don't I will feel terrible. And it's not like I don't already feel terrible, because I do. I really do. I mean for goodness sake you're dating my best friend! You ARE my best friend! I know what you're probably thi-"

She was interrupted as Harry began kissing her. It was exactly like to kiss he had dreamed about, no, better. It felt so right. It seemed like they were there forever, and might have gone longer, had she not walked in.

"HARRY! HERMIONE? YOU GUYS WILL NEVER BELIEVE THE FANTASTIC NEWS-" Ginny stopped abruptly as she entered the living room.


	3. Break Ups and Back Ups

**Start Of Something New**

_Harry/Hermione OneShot_

_By _

**Chapter 3: Break Ups and Back Ups **

Ginny just stood there, completely speechless.

"Ginny," Hermione said softly. But she stopped. Ginny closed her eyes, and put up a hand to Hermione.

She opened them again to have them burn through Harry's head.

"Not going to do anything to hurt me Harry? Well, you're getting off to a fabulous start!" She started

sobbing as she ran out the door. Harry and Hermione chased after her, but she had already apparated

somewhere else. Harry cursed under his breath, and Hermione ran upstairs.

***

Hermione tried to call Ginny's cell phone, but she wouldn't pick up. She had even changed her outgoing

message: You've reached Ginny's cell phone, I'm probably not here right now, but if you are a lying skank

named Hermione, then I'm just ignoring your calls on purpose.

Harry wouldn't stop trying to see her, when he went over to the burrow; even Molly tried to help him.

Hermione decided there was too much tension, so she left for her parent's house, leaving Harry to come

back to an empty home.

"Fantastic." He muttered. "Now everybody has officially screwed up everybody's life."

***

Ron and Hermione's would be wedding date came and went, and Molly had the worst time trying to

explain to relatives who never got the message that the wedding had been called off. Knowing that this

would've been Hermione's would-be wedding date made her start crying again. Her mom tried to comfort

her, but it only made it worse that Hermione didn't even have her best friend to help her out. She was

apparently pissed at her too.

***

About 2 weeks later, after Harry was terribly sick of trying to convince Ginny to talk to him, she finally let

him up.

"…Ginny, I really am-"Ginny put up her hand.

"Listen. Before you start your pathetic groveling, let me at least tell you how absolutely 'wonderful' I felt

when I simply came home to tell you all that Fleur finally had the baby, only to have the fantastic surprise

of my own, that my best friend and my boyfriend were snogging on his couch! You can apologize all you

want, but you know I will never be able to fully forgive you for any of this." She said tears starting to

stream down her face.

Harry was speechless.

"I really need to apologize to you." He said.

"I know, so do it."

"I have to explain that it was all a terrible understanding. Hermione was talking to me about Ron, and all

these emotions poured out, and there was no way I knew how to comfort her."

"So you kissed her. Well, fantastic idea." Her voiced caked in sarcasm.

"Ginny, you need to understand that I love you. What I did, it was wrong. But what I'm doing now,

apologizing, it's the only way I know how to make it right."

"Why don't you kiss me if you're at such a loss for words." Harry knew she was being sarcastic, but really

he wished she wasn't.

"Ginny, I…" Harry had his hand in his coat pocket, when his fingers brushed against a velvety little box.

This had to be his last hope. "Would you mind if I did something?" He asked. She looked at him strangely.

Harry wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do, but if it would make Ginny happy, then it must be.

He got closer to her, and got down on one knee, and pulled out the ring box from his pocket. Ginny's heart

seemed to stop.

"Ginny. I really love you, I honestly do. This is why I'm ready to ask you to spend the rest of your life with

me. Will you marry me?"

Ginny kept her expression of shock for what seemed an eternity, until finally, with a shaky voice, and her

eyes shining, ready to flow with tears she said "Yes. Yes I will marry you."

***

It was time for Harry to ask Ginny who would be the maid of honor.

"Well, I was considering Hermione, but after what she did…" Ginny began.

"Oh Ginny, I know Hermione would like nothing better than to be your maid of honor. If you were able to

forgive me, then you need to give her a second chance, I mean she's always been there for you, and who

else would you really see as a good made of honor?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Harry felt like

kicking himself. Why did he have to tell her that?

"Well…maybe. We'll invite her and Luna over for dinner at the Burrow, to tell them the good news."

Harry smiled absently while mentally beating himself up.

***

"So, Hermione, how have you been feeling?" Luna whispered subtly to Hermione, who was sitting next to

her in the Wesley's backyard. Molly had managed to throw together a last minute engagement party for

Ginny and Harry, which was in the same spot she had thrown Harry's 17th birthday party, and Fleur and

Bill's wedding. Fleur and Bill were actually there celebrating with them, the newborn Victoire in Fleur's

arms. She had gold hair (a mixture between her mother's platinum blonde, and her father's red) and her

eyes were impossibly blue. Bill had flown home the minute he heard that his daughter was born.

Molly was so elated she could barely contain herself. Her daughter was getting married to the boy she had

always hoped and dreamed to have as a son, and she had just been blessed with an absolutely gorgeous

granddaughter. There was not one mother/grandmother that night that was happier than her.

"I'm doing ok. I just cannot believe that Ron and I were to be married last month, but now I am single and

living with my parents again." Hermione sighed at how pathetic that sounded out loud.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to see you sooner, I've just been so busy with the Quibbler lately that I was almost

unable to come tonight." Luna looked at Hermione apologetically.

"It's ok."

"How's your internship at the ministry working out?"

"It doesn't start until September." Hermione clarified.

"Oh. Do you have any idea why Molly invited us here tonight?"

"Haven't the foggiest. Harry's birthday isn't until next month." Hermione took a look around the table.

"Is it their anniversary?" Luna asked.

"No. That's not until December." Hermione racked her brain trying to figure out why the big dinner.

"Everyone," Ginny stood up to get everyone's attention. "I think, now that the suspense has killed everyone,

it is safe to say why we've invited all of you here tonight." She stopped for a moment to giggle. "Harry

and I have decided to get married."

There was an uproar of applause and congratulations coming from around the table, except for Hermione.

"I would also like to ask Hermione if she would be my maid of honor?" Ginny looked at Hermione.

Speechless, Hermione forced a smile, and just nodded her head. Ginny squealed delightedly and went

around the table to collect a lifeless hug from Hermione, who was in disbelief.

***

After Mr. Weasley had made a toast in Harry and Ginny's honor, Hermione pulled Harry aside out into the

back garden.

"Well, you're some bloke aren't you!" She glared at him. "Break her heart, then break mine? So what,

when you two have another fight, I'm going to be your rebound all of a sudden?!"

"Hermione, listen to me, it's not like that!" Harry attempted to do this peacefully. Not a good start.

"Well then what is it like Harry?!"

"Listen, you know I have the same feelings for you, but you just have to face the fact that you and I were

never meant to happen! If we were, wouldn't this be our engagement party? I had Ginny first, and in all

fairness, she is your best friend."

"Exactly. She's my best friend. And this could be our engagement party, if you weren't so damn sure you

knew how to make someone feel better!" She clenched her fists held at her sides.

"Hermione, honestly, I really don't want to get into this…" Harry pinched the space between his eyes with

his thumb and forefinger.

"You're right," Hermione said, the too familiar tears stinging her eyelids. "I don't either. All I know is I

thought you loved me, but apparently 'Ginny got there first'". After rough quotation marks and a weak

punch in the stomach to Harry, she stormed off into the night.


End file.
